World

World

Landmark ruling for miners, and unemployment on the rise

Landmark ruling for miners, and unemployment on the rise
By Andrea Teagle
14 May 2016
0

Landmark ruling for miners, more student anger, and unemployment on the rise

 “Now…if you trust in yourself…”
“Yes?”
“…and believe in your dreams…”
“Yes?”
“…and follow your star…” Miss Tick went on.
“Yes?”
“…you’ll still be beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren’t so lazy. Goodbye.” 

? Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

This week’s wrap-up
Judging the Judge
Mabel Jansen, the judge who infamously claimed that rape is part of black culture, has been put on special leave. The surfacing of Jansen’s 2015 Facebook post was met with additional outrage due to the decidedly unSparrowish position of power its author occupies. The Black Lawyers Association has called for Jansen to resign.
Landmark ruling for ill miners
The High Court in Johannesburg gave the go-ahead on Friday for a class action suit representing miners who contracted lung disease  This paves the way for miners who contracted Silicosis and Tuberculosis while underground to sue mining companies for negligence. The ruling is expected to affect 200,000 miners. 
Reversing illicit financial flows
A plan to return illicit financial flows to their home countries was announced at aglobal anti-corruption summit in London on Thursday. This is in light of the Panama Papers evidence that while people may find such a feat supremely difficult, African assets apparently have no difficulty entering safe overseas havens. In a level-headed response to UK PM Cameron’s remark that Nigeria is ‘fantastically corrupt’, Nigeria’s President Buhari admitted the truth of the observation, and suggested stolen assets be returned.
Young anger
The Vaal University of Technology has suspended class after three days of increasingly violent protests left charred shells of former buildings. Students there are angry about a lack of security on campus. Meanwhile, UCT students gathered on Thursday to protest the effective expulsion of 5 of their peers of the Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) movement in a Wednesday court ruling. 
Unemployment on the rise
Stats released this week revealed that unemployment rose 10% this quarter from 24.5% to perch at 26.7% By the expanded definition of unemployment, over 1 in 3 – 36.3% of SA’s workforce – cannot find work. 

Video of the week
What would happen if you fell into a black hole?
Top Media

 

Fact of the Week

It’s a myth that shaving makes hair grow back thicker. Shaving hair has zero effect on thickness, colour or growth-rate. The stubbly, blunt-tipped property of new hair might make it appear thicker initially, but it’s no different. 

Sporting weekend
Tennis: WTA Internazionali BNL d’Italia SF1
Saturday: semi-finals 1: 11.50am- 2pm; 2.30pm- 5pm; 
semi-finals 2: 5pm-7pm, 8pm-10.30pm.
Sunday: Finals: 1.55pm- 3.50pm, 4.50pm-8pm.

Super rugby
Saturday: Hurricanes v Reds, 9.35am;  Waratahs v Bulls, 11.55am; Sunwolves v Bulls, 1.55pm; Cheetahs v Kings, 5.05pm; Lions v Blues, 7.15pm; Jaguares v Sharks, 10.40pm. 

Soccer (ABSA Premiership): 
All at 3pm: Kaizer Chiefs v Chippa Utd; University of Pta v Golden Arrows; Orlando Pirates v SuperSport Utd; Mamelodi Sundowns v Platinum Stars; Ajax CT v Bidvest Wits; Jomo Cosmos v Maritzburg Utd; Bloem Celtic v Polokwane City; Black Aces v Free State Stars
Gallery

Top Reads This Hour

Life begins after 55 — tenacious SA seniors redefine what it means to age
Maverick News

Life begins after 55 — tenacious SA seniors redefine what it means to age
Fact Check — Is Markus Jooste really dead?
Maverick News

Fact Check — Is Markus Jooste really dead?
The ups and occasional downs of learning how to socialise well in a small town
Maverick News

The ups and occasional downs of learning how to socialise well in a small town
‘It’s going to get ugly’ — Nafiz Modack’s lawyer says witness in Kinnear murder trial made ‘sweetheart deal’ with State
Maverick News

‘It’s going to get ugly’ — Nafiz Modack’s lawyer says witness in Kinnear murder trial made ‘sweetheart deal’ with State
US legislators threaten ‘consequences’ if SA arrests citizens for serving in Israeli army
Maverick News

US legislators threaten ‘consequences’ if SA arrests citizens for serving in Israeli army

TOP READS IN SECTION

The Whistle-blower — an American’s dream job at a shrimp factory in India turns nightmarish
Our Burning Planet

The Whistle-blower — an American’s dream job at a shrimp factory in India turns nightmarish
US legislators threaten ‘consequences’ if SA arrests citizens for serving in Israeli army
Maverick News

US legislators threaten ‘consequences’ if SA arrests citizens for serving in Israeli army
The close, secret ties that bound Israel to apartheid South Africa
DM168

The close, secret ties that bound Israel to apartheid South Africa
Words of warning and sobering reality that must hit home at this eleventh hour
South Africa

Words of warning and sobering reality that must hit home at this eleventh hour
SA to push for financial support in internationally binding plastic pollution treaty
Our Burning Planet

SA to push for financial support in internationally binding plastic pollution treaty

Investigations

News & Analysis

Features

Newsletters

Community

DM168

Daily Maverick © All rights reserved

Please peer review 3 community comments before your comment can be posted

South Africa needs good journalism — and we need your help to keep delivering it

The market failure of journalism has caused a 70% loss of jobs in our industry. The result is entire regions of South Africa with little to no editorial coverage - and no independent accountability measures because of it. Daily Maverick has proven that we can deliver impact on South Africa.

There's a misconception that Daily Maverick, because it's a national news publisher, is in every corner of the country.

We're not.  But we need to be.  Help us get there.

Become a Maverick Insider

We would like our readers to start paying for Daily Maverick...

…but we are not going to force you to. Over 10 million users come to us each month for the news. We have not put it behind a paywall because the truth should not be a luxury.

Instead we ask our readers who can afford to contribute, even a small amount each month, to do so.

If you appreciate it and want to see us keep going then please consider contributing whatever you can.

Support Daily Maverick→
Payment options